Apparatus and method of making container body



M. M. YOUNG 3,323,964 AiPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING CONTAINER BODY June 6, 1967 Original Filed June a, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MICHAEL M. YOUNG ATTORNEY June 6, 1967 M. M. YOUNG 3,323,964

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING CONTAINER BODY Original Filed June a, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet I; 68 ii I00 I INVENTOR= MICHAEL M. YOUNG 7 MWSLW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,323,264 APPARATUS AND METHGD OF MAKING CONTAINER BODY Michael M. Young, Merion, Pa., assignor of fifty percent to Reginald Couzens, Wailingford, Pa.

Original application June 8, 1962, Ser. No. 201,158, now Patent No. 3,122,395, dated Feb. 25, 1964. Divided and this application Sept. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 311,131

Claims. (Cl. 1562t)3) This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 201,158 filed on June 8, 1962, and entitled, Container Body and Method of Making Same, now Patent No. 3,122,305.

This invention relates to apparatus and method of making a container body.

Heretofore, it has been conventional for many years to make container bodies from paper or other laminated materials by spirally wrapping endless strips of the paper or other material around a stationary or rotating mandrel. Adhesive is generally applied to mating surfaces of the spirally wound strips so that a spirally wound tube is continuously manufactured. Conventional equipment of this nature generally includes a cutting apparatus which is a part thereof or associated therewith so that the continuously manufactured tube may be cut to unit lengths.

The present invention is directed to apparatus for making a container body in tubular form and a continuous method for manufacturing the same. The spirally wound method described above is capable of manufacturing tubing at a rate of approximately 150 feet per minute. The method and apparatus of the present invention includes apparatus and method structurally interrelated in a manner so that the above-mentioned production rate may be substantially doubled.

Recently, there has evolved in industry a great need for container bodies made from laminates of paper and other materials which can be rapidly manufactured and are capable of containing liquids, solids and semi-solids. The innermost layer must be waterproof in nature since it will be in direct contact with the material disposed within the container body. The outermost layer must be waterproof in nature since a label will be generally imprinted thereon and the same is necessitated by a desire to prevent destruction of the container body when the same is subjected to liquids such as floods, rain water, steam, etc. as a result of the transportation, storage or handling of the same.

The container body made by the apparatus and method of the present invention is a hollow tubular laminated body having waterproof inner and outer surfaces and a longitudinally extending rabbeted joint. The waterproof layer may be a layer of nylon, Mylar, polyethylene, etc. In certain circumstances wherein it is desired to store chemicals or oils within the container body, it is preferable to have the inner and outer layers of the container body made from aluminum foil or the like.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, an endless strip of laminated material is shaped about a mandrel into tubular form, and adhesive is applied to free edges of the strip, and then the free edges are joined together with a rabbeted joint extending longitudinally of the endless tubular form. Thereafter, the endless tubular form is cut into unit lengths.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for making a novel container body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for making a container body having a waterproof layer on its inner and outermost surfaces with a rabbeted joint extending longitudinally of the Patented June 6, 1967 container body so that the container body is of uniform thickness.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for continuously manufacturing container bodies.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for continuously manufacturing tubular container bodies.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus and method for continuously manufacturing tubular bodies in unit lengths in a manner which is economical and rapid.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawin s forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus utilized in constructing container bodies in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along 33 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along 5-5 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a laminated strip in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a diagrammatically illustrated tube making machine designated generally as 10. The machine 10 includes unwind rolls 12 and 14 rotatably supported for rotation about their longitudinal axes. Roll 12 contains a strip of a waterproof material such as aluminum foil. Roll 14 contains a strip of a substrate such as paper. The width of strip 16 is greater than the width of strip 18. The thickness of strip 16 may be approximately 0.001 to 0.002. The thickness of layer 18 will generally be several times greater than the thickness of layer 16.

The description hereinafter will refer to strip 18 as eing a strip of paper. It is to be understood that the term paper is being used in a general sense and therefore includes cardboard, chipboard, etc. As the strip 18 is unwound from roll 14, it is preferably fed through a heater 20 to remove moisture from the strip 18. Unless a substantial amount of or all moisture is removed from the strip 18, the same will be permanently trapped within the container body and may be a source of trouble in a finished product. The surface of strip 16 juxtaposed to the strip 18 is provided with a layer of adhesive by means of adhesive applicator 22.

The strips 16 and 18 are fed between pressure rollers 24 and 26. The strips 16 and 18 are fed through a dispenser guide means 28 which intermittently adhesively secures tear string to strip 18 at spaced points therealong. Means 20 also assures that the strips 16 and 18 are properly orientated with respect to each other when passing between rollers 24 and 26.

After passing through the rollers 24 and 25, the adhesively secured laminate is fed through a folder 30 which causes the side edge portions of the strip 16 to overlap string 100 and side edge portions of the strip 18 thereby forming a laminate 32 as illustrated more clearily in FIG- URE 2. At this point, I would like to note that the laminate 32 could be made by passing a substrate such as strip 18 through an evacuated chamber wherein it may be the lines the lines the lines 3 coated with a metal film such as a film of aluminum. The above'described apparatus and method for forming the laminate 32 is preferred since the same is cheaper.

The apparatus also includes rolls 34 and 36 which are adapted to rotate about their longitudinal axes. Roll 36 contains a strip 40 of waterproof material similar to strip 16. Preferably the unexposed surface of strip 40 when it is on roll 36 is provided with a label printed thereon. The provision of a label on one of the layers ofmaterial utilized in making spirally wound tubular forms unnecessarily complicated the same since the label had to be printed on a bias. The label printed on strip 40 is not on a bias but rather a series of labels with a mark between labels along which the tubular form will be cut so as to provide container bodies of unit length.

Roll 34 contains a strip 38 of a substrate material such as the substrate material of strip 18. The strip 38 is preferably fed through a heater 42 as it is unwound from roll 34 so that moisture will be removed therefrom. A coating of adhesive is applied to the surface of strip 38 juxtaposed to strip 40 by means of adhesive applicator 44. The strips 38 and 40 are guided by guide means 46 so that they are properly orientated with respect to each other. Thereafter, the strips are fed between pressure rollers 48 and 50. The laminate of strips 38 and 40 after passing between rollers 48 and 50 is fed through a folder 52 which is comparable to folder 30. The laminate formed from strips 38 and 40 is designated as 54. Laminate 54 is identical in cross section with laminate 32 as illustrated in FIGURE 2, but is Wider since it will surround laminate 32 and does not have a tear string.

A film of adhesive is applied to the lowermost surface of laminate 32 by means of adhesive applicator 62. Thereafter, the laminates 32 and 54 are fed through a guide means 56 which properly orientates the laminates with respect to each other.

The properly orientated laminates 32 and 54 are then fed between pressure rollers 58 and 60. The laminated structure formed from the laminates 32 and 54 as it emerges from rollers 58 and 60 is designated as 64. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the laminates 32 and 54 were orientated with respect to each other by guide means 56 so that side edges of the laminates were transversely spaced from each other as the laminates were passed between the rollers 58 and 60. Thus, the laminated structure 64 is provided with a longitudinally extending tab portion 66 on one side thereof thereby forming a shoulder 67 on a lowermost surface thereof. Also, the laminated structure 64 is provided with a longitudinally extending tab portion 68 on the other side thereof forming a longitudinally extending shoulder 69 on an upper surface thereof.

The thusly formed laminated structure 64 is then fed through a folder 70 which transforms the planar laminated structure 64 into a tubular shape. This is accomplished by causing the laminated structure 64 to be fed between a shaping wall of the folder 70 and a cylindrical mandrel 72. One end of the mandrel 72 is supported by bracket supports 74.

As 'shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, the laminated structure 64 is caused to be Wrapped around the mandrel 72 in a manner so that an adhesive may be applied to shoulder 67 by applicator 76 and adhesive applied to the end surfaces of portion 68 by applicator 78. Subsequent to the illustration of the relationship between the portions 66 and 68 as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the folder 70 will cause the shoulder 69 to be juxtaposed to the shoulder 67 thereby forming a rabbeted joint. By having a rabbeted joint extending longitudinally of the tubular shape, the tubular shape will have a uniform wall thickness.

After emerging from the folder 70, the rabbeted joint will be caused to passbeneath a pressure applicator 80 having a convex surface juxtaposed to the rabbeted joint. Drive rollers 81 and 81' may be provided to positively drive the tubular shape along the mandrel 72. As the tubular shape moves along the mandrel 72, marks provided between printed labels on the strip 40 will be detected by the electric eye 82. The electric eye 82 is structurally interrelated with an orbital cutter 84.

The details of electric eye 82 form no part of the present invention since the same is commercially avaliable. It is not deemed necessary to describe the operation of the orbital cutter 84 in detail since the same is well known to those skilled in the art and is generally referred to as a flying cutter. Means, not shown, are provided to cause the cutter 84 to reciprocate on a carriage at the same speed as the tubular shape. When a mark on the label is detected by the electric eye 82, a similar mark will'then be opposite the knife of the cutter 84. Such detection by the electric eye 82 triggers the knife which severs the tubular shape into unit lengths. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the cutter 84 may have one or more cutting knives so that one or more unit lengths may be cut from the tubular shape at the same time.

For purposes of illustration, it will be assumed that container body 86 is one of the unit lengths cut from the endless tubular shape by cutter 84. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 5, the laminated structure 64 has been converted into a container body with the longitudinally extending edge portions of the laminate structure 64 joined together with a rabbeted joint. In this regard, it will be noted that the longitudinally extending edge portions of the inner and outermost layers are joined together with a butt-joint. It will be noted that the illustration in FIG- URE 5 is on a greatly enlarged scale. Thus, it will be seen that the container body of the present invention includes inner and outer waterproof layers secured to themselves thereby providing a waterproof container body internally reinforced by a substrate material while at the same time having a uniform wall thickness and capable of being continuously manufactured at rapid production rates.

The laminated structure 64 described above and illustrated in FIGURE 3 is composed of two laminates. To provide stronger container bodies, such as container bodies for one gallon paint cans, a laminated structure designated generally as 90 may be utilized. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 6, laminated structure 90 is composed of three laminates. However, additional laminates may be provided as desired.

Laminated structure 90 is composed of laminates 32', 54' and 92. Laminates 32' and 54 are identical with laminate 32 and 54, respectively. It will be noted that the laminates of laminated structure 90 are bonded together in a staggered pattern so that a longitudinally extending tab portion is provided on the side edge portions thereof, thereby facilitating the provision of a rabbeted joint when the laminated structure 90 is formed into a tubular shape in the manner described above.

The laminate 92 is composed of a substrate 94 which is similar to the substrates 18 and 38. The substrate 94 may be of greater thickness than the substrates 18 and 38. The laminate 92 differs from the laminates 32 and 54' in that a waterproof layer need not be provided across th e full width thereof. Hence, the substrate 94 is provided with a strip of Waterproof material 96 which merely overlaps and is bonded to one longitudinally extending edge portion of the substrate 94. A strip of waterproof material 98 overlaps and is bonded to the other longitudinally extending edge portion of the substrate 94. The strips 96 and 98 may be made from the same material as the strips 16' and 38', which in turn are identical with strips 16 and 38.

The laminated structure 90 may be continuously made into an endless tubular shape on machine 10 in the same manner described above. In this regard, it is not deemed necessary to repeat the above description. Thus, it will be seen that the method of making the container body of the present invention enables container bodies to be made at a faster rate and with greatly simplified apparatus as compared with the only commercial apparatus for continuously making paper-like container bodies on a continuous process, namely the spirally wound device described above. The apparatus of the present invention is designed to operate continuously, that is twenty-four hours a day. It will be appreciated that the illustration is purely diagrammatical for purposes of illustration. Hence, electrical circuitry, motors, detective switches for stopping the machine when the rolls 12, 14, 34 and 36 are emptied, etc. are not illustrated since the same are conventional in the art.

The tear strings 100 and 100 terminate in a tab 102 and 102, respectively. The strings are preferably narrow flat ribbons of nylon. The strings are positioned so that they extend around the container body at a point adjacent one end thereof just below a flange on an end cap which will be applied to body 86. When it is desired to open a sealed container, tab 102 is grasped and pulled thereby severing layers 18, 38 and 40. Thereafter, pulling or twisting the end cap readily severs the layer 16. It will be appreciated that a tear string is not required when the container body is intended to be utilized in a manner not conducive to use of the same. For example, a tear string would not be utilized if body 86 were to be used as a paint can.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of making a hollow container body comprising the steps of overlapping a first strip of Waterproof material about a paper-like substrate so that said first strip of waterproof material covers at least a portion of each side of the substrate material, overlapping a second strip of waterproof material about a paper-like substrate so that said second strip of waterproof material cover at least a portion of each side of the substrate material, connecting said first strip of waterproof material with said substrate connected thereto to said second strip of waterproof material with said substrate connected thereto with longitudinally extending offset edge portions thereby forming a strip of laminated material having waterproof material on opposite sides, shaping said laminated material about a mandrel extending in a direction substantially parallel to the side edges of the laminated material to form a body of uniform cross-section, joining said edge portions of said laminated material so as to provide said body with uniform wall thickness, and then cutting the thusly formed body into unit lengths.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said joining step is accomplished by applying adhesive to at least one of the longitudinally extending edge portions of said laminated material.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shaping and joining steps are accomplished continuously,

and said cutting step being accomplished intermittently.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of detecting marks on the body, and performing said cutting step in response to detection of such marks.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of forming a laminated structure includes positioning a tear string member between layers thereof at spaced points therealong.

6. Apparatus for making container bodies comprising means for forming a flexible laminated structure having first and second shoulders on longitudinally extending edge portions thereof in a manner so that the first shoulder is on an upper surface along one side edge portion and the second shoulder is on a lower surface along the opposite side edge portion, means for feeding said laminated structure to a folding means, folding means folding said structure into a body of uniform cross section, said folding means including means for securing the edge portions of the structure together with the shoulders in overlapping relationship, and means for cutting the endless body into unit lengths.

7. Apparatus comprising means for forming an endless flexible laminated structure having waterproof upper and lower surfaces and first and second shoulders on longitudinally extending an upper surface along one side edge portion and the second shoulder is on a lower surface along the opposite side edge portion, means for continuously feeding said laminated structure to a folding means, folding means for folding the structure into a tubular shape, said folding means including means for securing the edge portions of the structure together with means for securing edge portions of the structure together with the shoulders in overlapping relationship, and means for cutting the endless tubular shape into unit lengths.

8. Apparatus in accordance 'with claim 7 wherein said securing means includes an adhesive applicator.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said cutting means includes an electric eye detector structurally interrelated with a cutter in a manner so that the tubular shape is cut in response to detection of marks on the tubular shape by the electric eye detector.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said forming means includes a guide means for guiding two endless strips in relation to each other so that longitudinally extending edge portions of a first strip may be folded over edge portions of a second strip. and a folder for accomplishing said last-mentioned folding operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1941 Quarnst-rom 156203 8/1958 ONeil 9394 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A HOLLOW CONTAINER BODY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF OVERLAPPING A FIRST STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL ABOUT A PAPER-LIKE SUBSTRATE SO THAT SAID FIRST STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL COVERS AT LEAST A PORTION OF EACH SIDE OF THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL, OVERLAPPING A SECOND STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL ABOUT A PAPER-LIKE SUBSTRATE SO THAT SAID SECOND STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL COVERS AT LEAST A PORTION OF EACH SIDE OF THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL, CONNECTING SAID FIRST STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL WITH SAID SUBSTRATE CONNECTED THERETO TO SAID SECOND STRIP OF WATERPROOF MATERIAL WITH SAID SUBSTRATE CONNECTED THERETO WITH LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING OFFSET EDGE PORTIONS THEREBY FORMING A STRIP OF LAMINATED MATERIAL HAVING A WATERPROOF MATERIAL ON OPPOSITE SIDES, SHAPING SAID LAMINATED MATERIAL ABOUT A MANDREL EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SIDE EDGES OF THE LAMINATED MATERIAL TO FORM A BODY OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION, JOINING SAID EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID LAMINATED MATERIAL SO AS TO PROVIDE SAID BODY WITH UNIFORM 